Oodles of Noodles

My trip to the market this morning resulted in the purchase of two pieces of eco-certified salmon from Mike's Fish Shop.  I don't know much about what eco-certified means other than it abides to some sort of code that somewhat improves the state of salmon farming.  Initally I thought I was buying the fish just for Scott (he will eat anything) but once I started supper I decided to eat some too. It was very yummy, especially next to these awesome noodles.

TAMARI GLAZED SALMON with Nutty Somen Noodles

Salmon:

1/8 cup local honey

1/8 cup e.v olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsp organic tamari

1 Tbsp fresh organic lemon juice

1 Tbsp water

2 organic or the best you can find salmon fillets or steaks (about 1 pound)

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  Whisk together the marinade and pour over the fish.  Cook in hot oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Serve on a bed of noodles with the juices pour over top.

Noodles:

1 package of organic kamut somen noodles

1/2 cup organic nut butter (tonight we used some peanut, almond and tahini) 

1/4 organic tamari sauce

1/4 organic brown rice vinegar

1 Tbsp local honey

1 Tbsp organic toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp raw organic sesame oil

1 handful organic fresh cilantro

2 cloves organic garlic

1 stalk organic broccoli, peeled and floretted and stalk cut into matchsticks

1/2 organic green pepper, slivered

1 organic carrot, grated

2 handfuls organic spinach, torn

handful of organic cashews

Method:  Combine the nut butters, garlic, tamari, honey, vinegar, cilantro and oils into a blender and process until smooth.  Boil noodles.  When noodles are almost done, toss in the broccoli.  When noodles are done, drain the water and toss back into the pot along with the spinach so it can wilt.  Pour half of the sauce onto the noodles and stir.  Plate the noodles, topping with the other veggies and cashew.  Drizzle with more sauce if you like.

Panini

You say Panini, I say Press!

I don't know why I just had to say that, it's repeating over and over in my head.  Anyway so as you can guess I made Panini sandwiches tonight for supper.  They were very yummy, but you don't need a fancy machine to do it, you can just use a heavy weight to press your sandwich while it cooks and then flip and repeat.

BACON PANINI with Caramelized Onions and Dijon Mango Chutney

some fried organic and/or natural pasture raised bacon

organic whole wheat bread slices

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

mango chutney

dijon mustard

organic cheddar cheese, shredded

Method:  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, then lower heat a bit and add the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.  Cook onions gently for about 15 minutes or until really soft.  Reserve.

     Spread one side of one of the pieces of bread with dijon and the other with mango chutney.  Put some of the shredded cheese on one piece of bread, followed by some of the onions, then bacon and end with more cheese, close er up and spray the outside of the panini with olive oil and cook in a press or in a skillet with a weight.

HEMP SEED MISO PESTO PANINI with Red Peppers and Onion

I make many batches of basil pesto in the summer when the basil is fresh.  It freezes well, and when I need to use some I just cut off a hunk and let it defrost.  

     Ever since I started making pesto with hemp seeds and miso, I've never gone back to the traditional cheese and pine nuts.

HEMP MISO PESTO

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh organic basil leaves

1 cup organic hulled hemp seeds

2 cloves organic garlic

2 Tbsp organic white miso paste

2 tsp umeboshi vinegar

water

Method: Transfer all ingredients but the water to a food processor.  Process until the ingredients start to smooth, adding water as necessary to make desired consistency.  Keep in mind pestos are better when slightly thicker and creamier.

THE PANINI

some organic cheese

1 Tbsp pesto

the caramelized onions from above

some thin sliced organic pepper

Method: Spread each slice of bread with pesto, followed by some cheese, the onions, pepper and some more cheese.  Spray the outside of the bread with olive and oil and Press!

Stew Weather

When Scott went to go pick up our organic meat order, the man delivering it asked if we were going to sell it.  When he heard we had no plans to sell all the meat he then commented we must have a large family!  Well actually there is only Scott, Faegan and I in this household, but a freezer full of organic beef, a whole lamb and nine chickens.  I figure that will last us 8-9 months at least.  We like having food in the house, and we like buying meat in bulk because it saves us money.  And we really like making stew.....

     As I was just about to make the dumplings for this stew I realized that I didn't have any baking powder left.  I had just bought a bag of it in July.  I know this for sure because I was making our wedding cake and wanted to make sure I didn't run out.  That means I've gone through a whole pack of baking powder in 3 months!  Baking madness over here.  Anyway, so I called my friend Serena to see if she had any I could have and luckily they had just enough.

LAMB STEW with Whole Wheat Dumplings

2 pounds lamb stew meat ( I like the kind with the bones)

1/2 cup unbleached organic flour

sea salt and pepper

4 Tbsp organic vegetable oil

1 large organic onion, chopped

2 cups water

3/4 tsp dry organic thyme, or 1 Tbsp fresh

1 1/2 cups beer, preferably dark (1 bottle)

1 pound organic potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 organic carrots, peeled and cut 1/2" thick on the diagonal

1 cup organic celery root, peeled and cubed

1 organic parsnip, peeled and cut 1/2" thick on the diagonal

3 Tbsp chopped fresh organic parsley

Method:  In a large bowl, season flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge lamb in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.  In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Working in batches, brown lamb on all sides.  Transfer to a plate.

     Pour 1/4 cup of the water into the pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon.  Add onions, stirring occasionally until water has evaporated and onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Return lamb to pot; stir in thyme, beer, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover and simmer until lamb is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

     Add potatoes and vegetables to pot.  Cook, covered until vegetables are tender and stew has thickened.  About 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.  Add dollops of dumpling dough to top of stew, cover and again and keep simmering for another 15 minutes.  Serve.

WHOLE WHEAT DUMPLINGS

When I went to Serena's to pick up the baking powder they asked what I needed it for.  When I told them it was for dumplings in the lamb stew they both exclaimed, "Oh Doughboys!"  and I said "I guess so!".  You see that is the first time I have ever heard anyone call dumplings doughboys, but I like it, so doughboys it shall be.  Serena's mom is from Newfoundland and that is what they call them there.

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/2 cup organic unbleached white flour

3 tsp aluminum and corn free baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup organic butter

3/4 cup organic milk

Method:  Combine flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal.  Stir in milk with as many strokes as possible.  Place dollops of dough ontop of stew and steam with lid on for 15 minutes.

Lunch for Me

The other day I was browsing around Sobey's.  I love grocery shopping and just checking out what is available.  This is especially fun at Sobey's because I don't normally shop there and so I never know what to expect to find.  To my great surprise I came across some organic Atlantic salmon from Ireland.  This was very exciting, especially since I started to crave salmon as I was walking past the fish department.  You see, ever since I found out about the sad state of salmon farming I have opted to not eat farmed salmon.  Which is really sad for me because I love Atlantic salmon.  It is very easy to find Pacific wild salmon in the stores, but I prefer Atlantic salmon which apparently is illegal to catch these days.  So I scooped up a pack and brought it home to cook for supper.  I was disappointed in the flavour and texture of this organic salmon and all my hopes for a new life of salmon eating disappeared forever.  I am hoping it was just in the Sobey's freezer for too long, so I will try another batch from a city Sobey's to see if there is a difference.  Anyway, so I had one more fillet left and decided it would taste ok in something like a fish cake.  I had some leftover mashed potatoes from supper the other night which made lovely fishcakes for lunch.

SALMON FISHCAKES with Sweet Potatoes and Capers

1 organic salmon fillet, cooked and flaked (about 4.5 oz)

1 cup organic mashed sweet and white potatoes

1 organic egg, beaten

1 very small onion, minced

1-2 handfuls of organic breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp organic parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp capers

sea salt and pepper

Method: Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix together and then shape into patties.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat.  Melt some butter and fry the patties about 5 minutes on each side.  Serve over spinach salad

FALL SPINACH SALAD with Feta and Carrot in a Lemon Dressing

Organic baby spinach

Feta cheese, crumbled

Organic carrot, grated

Organic sunflower seeds

Organic lemon

Olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Method:  Layer the vegetables, cheese and seeds in a bowl.  Squirt with some lemon, drizzle with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss and then add 2 warm fishcakes on top.

Wild Game

I was a single mom this weekend.  Scott planned a weekend getaway with his father and brother in law to their "camp" in the woods.  It was great that Scott got some time to himself.  It was not so great that I was on call 24/7 alone (ok so I had a friend and her kids over for the weekend which was great but still).  What softened the blow a tiny bit was the wild grouse he brought home.  I think he killed one of them and Brad, his brother in law, got the other.  I like the idea of wild game.  Animals raised in the wild eating forest food are definitely healthier for you.  But I had no idea what to do with it. I've never eaten grouse before and never seen it prepared.  Scott warned me that grouse is pretty much all white meat and so is very easy to overcook and dry out.  That being said I decided to cook it the following way.  It was pretty good but I'd probably try cooking it another way next time.

WILD grouse with Bacon and Cabbage

2 wild grouse

1/4 pound organic bacon

1 organic onion

1 small organic cabbage, shredded

2 organic carrots, cut in 4 chunks

1/4 of an organic celery root, grated

sea salt and pepper

2 cups organic chicken stock

Method:  Preheat the broiler in your oven.  Place the grouse in a heavy casserole and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper.  Broil in oven for 10 minutes uncovered.  Meanwhile, saute the bacon and onion in a skillet until the bacon begins to brown.  Add the cabbage and celery root and saute until the cabbage begins to wilt.  Pour this mixture on top of the grouse, along with the stock and carrots.  Season with sea salt and pepper.  Reduce the oven to 350*, cover the casserole and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.  You may want to remove the lid during the last 10-15 minutes if really watery.  Serve on mashed potatoes.

MASHED POTATOES

1 organic sweet potato

2 organic yukon gold potatoes

3 Tbsp organic salted butter

1/4 cup organic milk

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Peel and then boil the potatoes in a pot of water.  When soft, drain and mash with the milk and butter.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

KALE SALAD with Arame, Carrot, Pepitas in an Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette

6 leaves of organic kale, sliced thin

1/8 cup organic pumpkin seeds

1 organic carrot shredded

1/4 cup arame sea vegetable soaked and drained

1/4 of an organic red pepper, diced

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 tsp apple balsamic vinegar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp local honey

sea salt and pepper

Method:  Combine all the veggies in a bowl.  Top with the oil, vinegars, honey and salt.  Toss well and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Yellow and Green Supper

A friend of ours gave us zucchini from his garden. A huge yellow zucchini.  Then Alice, the woman who lives on a hill by the sea gave me a zucchini.  A huge green zucchini.  What do you do with so much zucchini?  You make zucchini potato latkes.

POTATO  ZUCCHINI LATKES with Apple Sauce

2 organic russet potatoes, peeled and grated

3-4 cups grated organic zucchini

1 organic onion or 2 organic shallots, minced

2 tsp sea salt

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 - 1/2 cup organic unbleached white flour

pepper

organic butter and oil

Method: Combine the zucchini and potato in a large stainless steel bowl.  Scoop a handful and squeeze as much liquid out as you can over the sink and then place in another bowl.  Repeat until you've squeezed all of it.  Then mix in all the other ingredients.  Adding more flour if the mixture is too watery.

     Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add some butter and a bit of oil to pan.  Drop spoonfuls of the batter and spread each one out so they will cook evenly and you won't have raw potato.  When golden, flip and cook the other side.  Then slide them onto a cookie sheet in a warm oven until the whole batch is done.  Serve with apple sauce.

APPLE SAUCE

2 large organic apples, peeled and sliced

Method:  Place apple in a small saucepan with a 1/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook about 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft and mushy.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH with Browned Butter and Garlic

1 organic spaghetti squash, cut in half and scooped out

1/8 - 1/4 cup organic unsalted butter

2 cloves organic garlic, minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup romano cheese, shredded

1 steamed organic broccoli stalk, finely chopped

Method:  Roast the squash cut side down in the oven for about an hour or until the squash is tender.  Scoop out the flesh and drain if very watery.  In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat and then lower.  Cook, watching very carefully for the milk solids to start to brown.  It will look speckled.  Remove from heat and add the garlic.  Pour the garlic butter and sea salt over the squash, stirring.  Add the broccoli and top with cheese.